British Cycling confirms dates for 2018 HSBC UK | National Downhill Series and HSBC UK | National Downhill Championships

British Cycling has confirmed the dates of the 2018 HSBC UK | National Downhill Series and HSBC UK | National Downhill Championships, which will take place in Glencoe from July 21-22.

Two rounds of the series - at Fort William (round 1) and Rhyd-Y-Felin (round 4) - have been awarded UCI category 1 status, putting them on the international downhill calendar and offering riders the opportunity to gain UCI points.

This year’s series will be delivered by three separate organisers, following a successful tender process which began in September.

The 2017 HSBC UK | National Downhill Series saw Charlie Hatton claim the elite men’s title, while Tahnee Seagrave, who won her first ever UCI MTB World Cup event in Leogang in June, topped the elite women’s standings.

Speaking about the 2018 series, Seagrave said: “I get to the HSBC UK National Downhill Series and have the same level of competition that I do at world cup level.

“It's great to constantly be pushed while having a real family-like atmosphere, and it's awesome to be involved in something that evolves youngsters and brings people together.”

Jonathan Day, British Cycling’s head of sport, said: “We’re delighted to announce the dates for the 2018 HSBC UK | National Downhill Series after a fantastic series in 2017, and it’s great that we’re able to bring the HSBC UK | National Downhill Championships to Glencoe for the first time.

“It’s also incredibly exciting that the events in Fort William and Rhyd-Y-Felin have been awarded UCI C1 status, which will enable us to attract even more world-class riders to the series.”

Commonwealth Games silver medallist Evie Richards celebrated another podium finish as she came home second in the women’s Under-23 race at the 2018 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Albstadt.